2026-0170
INTRODUCED BY: MATTHEW JEWELL, PARISH PRESIDENT
(DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & ZONING)
ORDINANCE NO. ___________
Title
An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Appendix A. - St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981, Section III. - Definitions, adding a definition for Data Center, Section VI. - Zoning district criteria and regulations., D. Manufacturing and industry districts, adding Data Centers as permitted uses in the M-1 and M-2 zoning districts, and adding requirements for data centers to Section VII. - Supplemental use and performance regulations.
Body
WHEREAS, Data centers and digital infrastructure are a growing component of the modern economy, supporting cloud computing, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and business operations; and,
WHEREAS, St. Charles Parish has a long history of supporting large-scale industrial development and possesses the infrastructure and industrial corridors, necessary to accommodate such uses; and,
WHEREAS, Data centers represent a form of industrial development that, when properly sited and designed, can operate with minimal impacts related to traffic, emissions, and surrounding land uses; and,
WHEREAS, Data centers are not specifically defined or regulated under the current St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance, and may otherwise be interpreted as permitted uses within existing industrial zoning districts; and,
WHEREAS, the Parish recognizes that data centers are not a one-size-fits-all use and range from smaller, lower-impact facilities to large-scale campuses, each with different infrastructure and land-use considerations; and,
WHEREAS, the Parish desires to provide clarity and predictability for both residents and industry by establishing reasonable standards for the siting and operation of data centers; and,
WHEREAS, the Parish further desires to ensure that data center development occurs in a manner that is compatible with surrounding land uses and includes app...
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